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I am a little beggarman and beggin I have been |
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For three score years in this little isle of green |
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I'm known along the Liffey from the basin to the zoo |
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And I'm known by the name of the Bold Johnnie Dhu |
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My brother called "The Jolly Beggar" tripped over the plain |
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He comes unto the farmer's doors a lodging for a gain |
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Sometimes the farmers' daughter views him cheek and chin |
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And calls him a handsome man and takes him in |
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Of all trades a going sure the begging is the best |
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For when a man is tired he can sit down and rest |
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He begs for his dinner, he has nothing else to do |
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But to slip around the corner with his old rigadoo |
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I slept last night in a barn in Currabawn |
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T' was a shocking wet night but I slept until the dawn |
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Holes in a roof and the rain coming through |
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And the rats and the cats were all playing peek-a-boo |
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Oh when I was awaken by the woman of the house |
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With her white spotted apron and her fine gingham blouse |
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She began to frighten, all I said was: "Boo" |
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Don't be afraid, cause it's only Johnny Dhu |
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I met a little flaxen-haired girl on day |
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"Good morning, little flaxen-haired girl" I did say |
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"Good morning, little beggarman, and how do you do |
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With your rags and your tags and your old rigadoo?" |
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"I'll buy pair of leggins and a collar and a tie |
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And a nice young lady I'll go courting by and by |
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I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue |
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And an old-fashioned lady I will make her too |
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So all along the highroad with my bag upon my back |
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And over the fields with my heavy bulging sack |
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Holes in my shoes and the toes peeping through |
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Singing "Skin-ma-link-a-dooddle" with my old rigadoo |
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Oh I must be gone to bed now for it's getting late at night |
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The fire's all raked and there isn't any light |
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For now you've heard the story of my old rigadoo |
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So good night and God be with you from old Johnny Dhu |
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Note: The Bill Craig version starts out normal and finishes off with a violin playing a reel called Kira Watanabe-Finster. |
